• • • BATTERIES & CHARGERS • • •
Thinking outside the box: The role of shipping
containers in safe lithium-ion
battery manufacturing The electric revolution is continuing to gain momentum, with more individuals and businesses opting for electric vehicles (EVs) in order to support the collective goal of increased sustainability
A
s a result, EV technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate, yet regulations and guidance on handling high energy density lithium-ion batteries remain scarce. Awareness of risks continues to be driven by widely-publicised stories about lithium-ion battery fires, as opposed to the introduction of proactive safety measures. With demand for EVs increasing, it’s essential that battery manufacturers have access to robust spaces to test battery integrity. In this article, Andrew Nicholls, Head of Conversions at S Jones Containers discusses the critical risks associated with EV manufacturing, and how modified shipping containers can hold the key to safety in lithium-ion battery manufacturing and innovation.
Critical risks
While there is extensive guidance on the safety management of conventional lead acid type batteries, this isn’t the case for lithium-ion batteries and current regulations don’t reflect the risks associated with the manufacturing, testing and storage of this type of battery. This lack of legislation remains a key challenge, allowing some manufacturers to prioritise budget over safety. However, safety should be the key consideration when it comes to lithium-ion batteries as they can
pose a serious fire risk. Lithium-ion cells store a high amount of energy in a relatively small space, meaning they are sensitive to external factors such as high temperatures, physical damage, small manufacturing defects or overcharging. These have the potential to trigger a chemical reaction within the battery cell, leading to thermal runaway. Once it enters thermal runaway, a battery will burn at extremely high temperatures which means the fire cannot be easily extinguished, and can burn with intense heat for days while also producing a highly toxic vapour. With such potentially devastating consequences, the safe manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries is essential. But how can lithium-ion battery manufacturers test in a way that is both safe and effective?
Innovative solutions Surprisingly, shipping containers can offer the ideal solution. These versatile spaces can be modified to provide specialist containerised solutions for safely, yet effectively, testing to ultimately advance the production of EV battery manufacturing in the UK and worldwide. At S Jones Conversions, we’ve invested in research and development to transform previously used standard shipping containers
into specialist spaces for those handling, storing and testing lithium-ion batteries, including pioneering organisations developing next generation battery technology.
Shipping containers can be tailored to suit individual requirements, utilising specialist equipment and incorporating advanced safety mechanisms, including fire and explosion risk reduction features. This versatility means that modified shipping containers are ideally suited to the testing process, offering a contained space for researchers to carry out necessary intensive cycle and abuse testing.
These testing methods involve exposing lithium-ion batteries to extreme conditions to evaluate their safety and reliability for everyday use. The nature of such methods means that the risk of batteries entering thermal runaway during the testing process is significant, and given that these tests require human interaction, incorporating safety measures is key. From creating a separate space within the units to shield researchers from hazards to the addition of fire-rated equipment, such as, smoke ventilation and protective linings, there are a multitude of ways to modify shipping containers to be suitable for safe testing. Containers with added fire and explosion risk reduction features, hermetically sealed access doors and gas detection systems are designed to reduce the risk of exposure to the toxic gases which may be released during the battery testing process.
At S Jones Conversions, we’re proud to have introduced a specialist blast panel solution. This allows for multiple test cycles and repeated use, where the energy released during a chemical reaction is greater than that produced by single lithium-ion battery cells, to facilitate the safe testing of modules comprising multiple lithium-ion battery cells.
Shipping containers can offer a unique solution for managing the risks and challenges surrounding the electric revolution, and this approach will play an essential role in the advancement of EV battery manufacturing in the UK and beyond. For more information about specialist storage solutions at S Jones Containers, please visit:
https://www.sjonescontainers.co.uk/ container-conversions/.
12 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • JULY/AUGUST 2025
electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk
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